A new type of silicone breast implant, currently available to women who agree to be part of a clinical study, offers breast augmentation and reconstruction patients more natural looking breasts with a low complication rate, according to a recent study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
The new gel implants will be the next type of silicone implant produced by manufacturers if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves the devices to be marketed and sold in the United States.
"It is an extreme understatement to say our patients are happy with the more cohesive gel implants," said Mitchell Brown, MD, ASPS member and study author. "These implants simply look and feel much more natural than saline implants. My patients are thrilled with their results."
The new devices are more cohesive than those currently being considered by the FDA. They have a gummy consistency, which allows them to hold their shape better than saline. According to the study, the gummy consistency decreases the likelihood of rippling and provides greater safety because, being more solid, the silicone may not escape from the shell if it were to rupture. The more cohesive silicone material and its textured shell also give the implant a very natural and proportionate breast shape.
"I think this is a great device," said Walter Erhardt, MD, chair of the ASPS Public Education Committee and surgeon participant in the cohesive gel implant clinical study. "It's not perfect and there is going to be a learning curve for surgeons in terms of educating them on how to use the more cohesive gel implants. A big criticism of previous implants has been silent rupture and re-operation rates. In my opinion, this product has a good chance for a greater longevity rate as well as less complications."
According to the study, another benefit of the more cohesive gel implants is the availability of a wide variety of shapes and sizes to more closely match breast shapes and chest dimensions. For example, plastic surgeons can use a patient's breast measurements to custom select an implant specific to each breast.